1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved actuator. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved linear actuator. More concretely, the invention relates to a maintenance technique of the linear actuator, a slider of which moves along a driving shaft which reciprocates or vibrates in a stretching manner.
2. Description of the Related Art
There exists a linear actuator in which a slider is frictionally engaged with a driving shaft which reciprocates or vibrates in a stretching manner so as to be movable along the driving shaft, and the driving shaft is driven asymmetrically in a front-rear direction so that the slider is moved to an arbitrary direction. In such a linear actuator, it is necessary for a stable operation that the slider can move smoothly with a predetermined frictional force on the driving shaft in a non-driving state.
However, when the linear actuator is used for a long time, corrosion which is generated due to a corrosive gas and an oxidizing gas such as hydrogen sulfide, NOx and ozone, deposit such as refuse or an abraded portion are deposited on the driving shaft under some use conditions. As a result, the slider cannot move smoothly with the predetermined frictional force, and thus this may cause a malfunction of the linear actuator.
In addition, in some certain materials of the driving shaft and the slider, a compositional component is separated and adheres to a surface of the material under a steamy environment, and the compositional component contaminates a frictional engagement portion between the slider and the driving shaft. As a result, the frictional force increases, and the slider does not occasionally move smoothly.
The malfunction, which is caused by the deposit deposited on the slider and the driving shaft in the long-time use, can be conventionally solved only by taking out the linear actuator from an apparatus using the linear actuator and removing the deposit using a human hand.